Author's Note: I apologize for taking so long, here are some of my lame excuses: 1.) I've been out of town. 2.) I've been dealing with some personal issues. 3.) I've been lazy. 4.) I've been uninspired. 5.) I've been busy. 6.) My computer doesn't like or doesn't like my computer, either way, it didn't work.

Abi M – In a sort of way, yes, but I don't think it'll satisfy those of you who are looking for a Draco/Hermione story.

Misao, Demon Master – Yes what kind of word is purtiful, honestly? looks in dictionary No, it isn't even in there. writes 'purtiful' in Word No, my computer doesn't even recognize the stupid word. Stupid red line under. Question remains; What the BEEP is purtiful? (Oh, and tell your friend Lockhart that it wasn't meant as a compliment.)

Thanks also Radical Princess, Hpmaniac3241, Alixandra, kittycatdudet, ivytwine, Shading in Grey, Ell514, Kow it all, Pussin Boots, Emma-Lizzy-Black, SeverusSnape'sLove.


Chapter 37 – Encounters

"One, two, three, four", Mrs Weasley counted us. "One missing. Where's Ron?"

"Finishing packing", Harry said.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"RONALD WEASLEY!" Mrs Weasley shrieked. "DOWN HERE! NOW!"

"Relax, mum", Ron muttered as he came downstairs, levitating his trunk in front of him.

"We're in a hurry", she muttered. "If you would have packed your trunk yesterday, like everyone else, we wouldn't be late."

Ron glared at her. "So are we going, then?"

Mrs Weasley nodded shortly. Mr Weasley had borrowed two cars from the Ministry of Magic, and we would have Order members accompanying us there; Lupin, Mungungus plus Mr and Mrs Weasley. Sirius wasn't allowed out of the house as he still was considered being a murder by a whole lot of people, and Tonks was already at Hogwarts to prepare for her year coming as the DADA teacher.

The Hogwarts train was to leave at 11 o'clock as always, and we arrived to King's Cross at 10:30 AM. It was packed with people, as usual – older students hanging in groups, scared (terrified?) first years with their parents, students rummaging about in their trunks, laughing students, students looking for their friends, anxious students…

We got onto the train and got ourselves a compartment, now joined by Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom. Ginny disappeared for a while, and returned a couple of minutes later with Julianne.

"Everyone", she said, "say hi to Julianne here."

"Hi", we said in chorus.

She smiled shyly. "Hi", she said.

Hermione rose. "Nice to meet you, Julianne", she said warmly and did then turn to me and Ron. "Prefects shall go to the prefect compartment", she said. "Oh, and I too, of course, being Head Girl…", she added proudly.

"Right", I said and rose, Ron following.

And in the Prefect compartment, we met my brother, who I actually was slightly anxious to speak to. Ever since I had fled Malfoy Manor that rainy day, I had debated on whether or not to send him and owl, but decided that I shouldn't, as he shouldn't know anything about my location.

I cleared my throat. "Hi", I said.

He turned around. "You're a prefect?"

That's when I saw his Head Boy badge. "You're Head Boy?"

Hermione must have heard what I had said or caught sight of Draco's Head Boy badge, because she let out a groan. "There must be some sort of mistake here", she said.

Draco looked at her. "Granger? Head Girl?" He groaned. "I feared it, but I hoped it wouldn't come true…"

Also Ron looked less than happy.

"Don't tell me I'll have to share the Head Boy and Girl's apartment with Granger for a whole year?" Draco hissed.

"Prefects, silence please", McGonagall's voice was heard, and the crowd became quiet. "First out; it's my pleasure to tell you that our new Head Boy and Girl are none other than Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger."

Applause, but Draco and Herminoe were still glaring angrily at each other.

McGonagall then started going through the prefect duties (for instance, we were supposed to patrol the corridors every now and then), and we were allowed to give out punishments but we must under no circumstances use this power in a bad way, and it was our responsibility to report misbehaving students, etc.

However, after the information (which lasted, boringly enough, for almost an hour), I got a chance to speak to Draco.

"How can you have become prefect?" he asked.

"Julianne – you know, the Gryffindor girl who was prefect – resigned."

He snorted. "You don't resign as a prefect. That's ridiculous."

"She was going out with the boy who was the other Gryffindor prefect, William, and he… well, she didn't want to be a prefect without him."

Silence.

"How was your summer?" Draco asked finally.

"It was good", I said. "I've been… I've been hanging out with Harry, Hermione and the Weasley's. And…"

"What?"

"Don't freak out now, but-"

"I don't like it when you say that…"

"Well, um, Harry and I, we are sort of… going out now."

"You're kidding, right?"

"No."

He stared at me like I was insane. "Are you mad! Potter! Out of every guy you could possibly hook up with, you chose Potter! Have you got any idea of what mess you've gotten yourself into! Father is already after you-"

"He is?" I asked quickly. "Did he come home? Did you see him? What did he say?"

"You are the reason he spent the last year in Azkaban, Tamara, now he escaped and you think he'll just leave you alone? He doesn't care you're his daughter. He'll be after you. You haven't exactly made things better by going and hooking up with Potter either. Not for anyone. Do you ever think about anyone else than yourself!"

I frowned. "Now what's that supposed to mean!"

"It means, dear sister, that perhaps you could think a little before you act. You want to do what's right, be on the good side, I get it! You think you're really brave and cool and everything now, don't you? You wanna be a rebel. Fight your own family."

"They're on the Dark Side, Draco, they kill muggleborns and-"

"I don't fucking care!" he roared. "Whatever. I don't care about what they do. Why can't you just accept some things? I'm not asking you to join the Death Eaters or something, but do you have to poke your bloody nose into other people's business all the freakin' time?"

"…"

"My point was", he said, more calm now, "that perhaps it's better to just go with the flow sometimes."

"Listen", I said, a tad irritated, "I can do whatever I want to do, okay? You can sit there and hang out with your evil friends and 'go with the flow', but I don't want anything to do with Malfoy Manor any more. It's not your problem!"

"IT IS MY PROBLEM!"

"How the hell can it be your problem!"

"Because I live there! I live at the darn place. Anything you do just backfires on me. Don't you get it? You can do whatever you want, but please, stop letting it go out over me!"

And with that, he marched out of the compartment.

"Sorry, then", I muttered, a tear threatening to escape from my eye.